System Loading Complete! Is the Field Master Crazy?

Balak Kingdom, Suotuo City.

At an auction house somewhere in the city, the glazed tiles on the signboard bore the two large words "Seven Treasure," though they had faded somewhat. Only a sparse few people stood at the entrance.

At the head of them was a middle-aged man around forty, slightly plump and dressed in fairly respectable steward's attire. He was Li An, the manager of this auction house.

Two or three young people stood behind him, all looking somewhat dispirited.

"Uncle Li."

A younger subordinate could not help speaking, his voice kept very low.

"What kind of person do you think the headquarters has sent this time...?"

"Has our auction house really been completely abandoned?"

"The previous Field Masters either came here to muddle through their days and wait for death, or they only stayed briefly before using their connections to get transferred elsewhere..."

"Shut up!"

Li An frowned and rebuked him in a low voice.

"Is the Sect's arrangement something you can casually speculate about?"

"Stand up straight, all of you!"

"We live off the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, so we must guard the Sect's livelihood. No matter who they send, we have to assist them with all our hearts!"

The young man shrank his neck and murmured an acknowledgment before hurriedly straightening his back.

Though Li An's expression did not change after speaking, his heart was filled with bitterness.

How could he not know how awkward their situation was?

A Grade D Auction House had few resources, an out-of-the-way location, and practically no profits to speak of.

Most of the people sent down from above were disciples who had fallen out of favor within the Sect or lacked talent. Coming here basically meant retiring early or waiting to be completely eliminated.

He had held this place for over twenty years!

He had watched one Field Master after another come and go, then go and come, while the auction house's circumstances only worsened by the day.

He wondered how long the one arriving this time would last.

Would he be another useless fool who merely ate and waited to die?

Just then, a steady clatter of hooves approached from afar.

A carriage with the emblem of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect clearly stamped on its side slowly made its way through the crowds in the street.

Li An immediately perked up.

"He's here!"

He gave a low shout and adjusted his collar.

The carriage came to a steady stop before the auction house entrance.

The curtain was lifted, and a slightly slender young man stepped down from the carriage.

The young man had refined features. A trace of youthful immaturity still lingered between his brows, but his gaze was unusually calm, and his back stood straight, giving him a distinctive bearing.

Li An paused slightly.

This new Field Master...

He did not seem like someone who had given up on himself.

And he was indeed exceedingly handsome!

Li An hurriedly stepped forward and bowed.

"This subordinate, Li An, is the manager of this auction house. I welcome you, Lord Field Master!"

The few young people behind him also bowed in greeting.

Ning Liu's gaze swept over Li An before shifting to the listless subordinates behind him.

So these were the people who would make up his team for the foreseeable future?

There were few of them, but Li An at least seemed fairly steady.

He said nothing more and merely nodded.

"Mm."

Then he stepped forward and headed straight for the auction house doors.

Li An and the others hurriedly followed.

The auction house was quite spacious inside, but a faint scent of dust hung in the air, and the facilities in sight all appeared somewhat worn.

The moment they entered, Li An quickened his pace and came to Ning Liu's rear flank, bowing slightly.

"Field Master, you must be weary from the journey."

"This subordinate has prepared some humble wine in the rear courtyard to welcome you and wash away the dust of travel. Why not first..."

Before he could finish, Ning Liu suddenly came to a halt.

He stood frozen in place as if someone had cast a paralysis spell on him, disbelief flashing across his face.

Because just moments ago, a cold, emotionless mechanical voice had sounded directly in the depths of his mind.

Beep beep...

Detected that the host has arrived at the designated location type: Seven Treasures Auction House, Suotuo City.

The Auction Return System has officially activated.

System loading... 10%... 50%... 100%.

System loading complete.

Ning Liu's pupils contracted slightly.

A system?

What was that?

A hallucination?

This system is the "Auction Return System." It has successfully bound itself to host Ning Liu and the Seven Treasures Auction House in Suotuo City.

The core rules of the system are as follows:

1. Auction Cycle: An auction may be held once every three days, with a maximum of ten items per auction.

2. Auction Returns: Once an auction item is successfully sold, the host will receive a random return of money/items worth 1 to 10,000 times the final sale price of that item.

3. Forced Auction: At every auction, the system will randomly select an item strongly associated with a "specific individual" and forcibly list it for auction.

4. Additional Critical Hit: If the buyer of an auction item experiences intense emotional fluctuations during the transaction process—such as anger, shame, pain, and so on—the return multiplier will receive a random critical hit boost.

5. Additional Reward: After each auction ends, the system will grant the host an additional reward based on the auction's overall performance, including total transaction value, return multiplier, special events, and so forth.

A stream of information flooded into his mind, crystal clear and definitely not an auditory hallucination.

Ning Liu was completely dumbfounded.

Auction returns?

Ten thousand times?

Forced auctions?

Emotional fluctuations could increase the multiplier too?

This...

He stood there blankly, his mind racing as he tried to comprehend this sudden turn of events.

Before he could fully process it, the system's voice rang out again.

Detected that the host has bound to the system for the first time. A Beginner's Gift Pack is being issued.

Reward One: The host's Soul Power Level will increase by ten levels!

Reward Two: One Soul Saint Level Guardian (may be summoned by the host at any time).

The instant the words fell, a gentle energy appeared out of thin air within Ning Liu's body. It swiftly flowed through his limbs and bones, nourishing both his body and martial soul.

He could clearly "see" the soul power within him become fuller in an instant, reaching an unprecedented state of saturation!

Although the invisible barrier preventing him from breaking through to Soul Elder still remained, both the quantity and quality of the soul power beneath that barrier had undergone earth-shaking changes!

This was a real improvement!

Not some illusion!

Ning Liu felt the surging strength within his body, then thought of the system's various incredible functions and that seemingly hopeless assessment mission...

Now...

It didn't seem so unattainable anymore, did it?

A soul power reward! And a Soul Saint guardian!

What else would there be in the future?!

In that instant, the resentment he had suppressed for years, the bitterness of being abandoned by the sect, and his confusion about the future all found an outlet.

"Haha..."

He could no longer hold it back. His hearty laughter suddenly echoed through the somewhat empty, silent auction house.

Li An and the few subordinates standing behind him were instantly left staring in bewilderment.

Li An opened his mouth, glanced at the worn-out furnishings around them, then at the new Field Master who had suddenly burst into laughter.

This newly arrived Field Master...

Could it be that the blow he had suffered was too great, and something had gone wrong with his mind?